General Cycling DiscussionHave a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

I did another century today, and there were rest stops every 20 miles. So this got me to thinking about what the longest period of time you have been on a bike (not just sitting on the seat, but actually moving). I think this is limited by one's access to fluids and food, but I was just curious.

When I had upright bikes and rode a lot, I would usually stop and get off the bike about every 1 - 1.5 hours. Reason was the pain in the butt, and usually numbness in the hands. Significant neck aches after ~6 hours.

After I got a recumbent bike, that time lengthened to 3-4 hours for my lone casual rides, and that can be easily pushed to 5-6 hours of riding non-stop without much discomfort. I don't experience seat discomfort until 8-10 hours of riding, and there's no hand or neck discomfort to complain of.

On the recumbent bike I use a camelback-type bladder (carried in the seat-back bag) and can carry food in the handlebar bag, so I can easily eat & drink while riding. The usual reasons I stop is sightseeing, restroom breaks or to re-apply sunscreen. Discomfort from just being on the bike is not much a factor.

I stretch on the bike without stopping...unless it's a really long ride. My longest ride in one day was 158 miles from Bakersfield CA to Santa Barbara CA that took around 12 hours. For that one I stopped twice to buy water and food refills for about 10 minutes each stop, and those two stops were it; I ate and drank while riding. I didn't have stop for a flat which was a wonder in itself! When I stretch on the bike I get off the seat about every 30 minutes and stand on the pedals at 9 and 3 position and stretch the calves, shoulders, neck etc. I do shoulder and neck rolls the very moment or whenever I feel the slightest stiffness or ache. I constantly move my hands around on the bars since those seem (and the rumpus) seem to start aching first.

I've done 100 to 110 miles lots of times, but that 158 was something my butt took 3 days to forgive me. When I do those 100's I never stop unless for a flat fix.

Longest time on a bike was just over 13 hours on a windy/hot double century in Arizona.
Stopped very briefly at each foodstop for water/snax/pitstop that were located about 25/30 miles apart.
Shortest time on the same double century was 12 hours.

As I've mentioned in other recent threads, and also on my website (see signature line), I have done a lot of long rides including 1200K randonnees and 24-hour time trials.

But as for how long I go between breaks on the bicycle ... it depends, and it isn't something I've really paid much attention to. I stop when I need to stop. It might be a couple hours, or it might be 15 minutes ... usually depending on how comfortable I am.

A few hours I would guess. I have this annoying tendency to keep going and going and going.
On a 9 hr ride a week ago I had maybe 30 to 45 min worth of breaks. If I am riding with my friends we stop more frequently.